Alternating-current regulator.



S. E. JOHANNESEN. ALTBRNATING CURRENT REGULATOR.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT. 16, 1909.

Patented Mar. 3, 1914.

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Inventor Svend E. Johannesen Witnesses 2% 1 am w by DItt' g,-

S. E. JOHAN'NESEN. ALTERNATING CURRENT REGULATOR.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT. 16, 1909.

Patented Mar. 3, 1914,

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

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AW 7 v UNITED STATES PATENT oFFIoE.

svnnn E. JOHANNESEN, or rrr'rsrxnnn, MASSACHUSETTS, assmnoii. TO GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANY, A coaronn'rmn or NEW YORK.

ALTERNATING-CURRENT REGULATOR.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Mar. 3, 1914.

Application filed September 16, 1909. Serial No. 517,968.

( State of Massachusetts,have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Alternating-Current Regulators, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to alternating-cunrentv regulators, and more specifically to that type of regulators which are used for regulating the current supplied to are lamps, and has for its object an improvement in such devices.

.More specifically, my invention relates to regulators which are used for regulating the illumination for the lamps of moving picture machines. In many machines of this class are lamps are used and the illumination which they produce depends upon the amount of current consumed by the lamp. Furthermore, arc lamps are of low voltage and the circuits from which they are supplied are usually of a much higher voltage. Regulators for these lamps, therefore, must be able to supply a variable current to the lamp. which current must usually be of a lower voltage than that of the supply circuit and the voltage of this current must be kept of approximately the same .value, since the electromotive force of an arc is a substantially constant quantity.

In the past. regulation has been obtained in certain instances by the use of a transformer or compensator with reactance coils connected in series with the lamp. Regulators of this construction, however, are subject to considerable heat losses in the reactance coils used, and the object of. my invention is to minimize these losses as far as possible and construct an apparatus cheaper than those in use at the present and one that shall be simple and reliable in character,

I accomplish the object of my invention by combining the reactance coils and the transformer into one structure, winding the reactance coils upon the game core as and in inductive relation to the primary transformer winding. The reactance coils are connected in series with the secondary 0f the transformer and a portion of the reactance coils is so connected that the electromotive force indue d in it will 0 pose the flow of current, t a remainder connected in a reverse direction; By this construction I am enabled to effect a considerable saving in heating. By placing the I reactance coils upon the same core. and in inductive relation to the primary winding these coils are influenced by the main transformer flux. reactance not so much leakage flux is required as if the reactance coils were on a separate core magnetized by the current flowing in them. It is not necessary to magnetize this separate core. This I have found saves considerably in the heating. I further save in that by causing the current to flow in a' portion of the reactance in a direction reverse to that of its electromotive force induced by the primary winding. I am enabled to obtain the desired reactanc e with still less leakage flux.

Considered in another aspect my invention consists in the construction of a special form of transformer with auxiliary windings which giveincreased reactance connected in series with the secondary winding. These auxiliary windings, as explained above, are in inductive relation to the primary winding and are connected so that thefi induced voltages are in opposition. By the use of two such windings having substantially equal voltages induced therein, it will be obvious that the ratio of transformation of the transformer will be unafiected by connecting these windings in series with the secondary circuit.

In order to obtain different current values for the lamp or other translating devices to which my regulator is connected, I

'employ a special form of switch for connecting different amounts of the react-ance coils in the secondary circuit. This switch and the connections between .it and the rea ctance coils are so, arranged that during the movement of the switch to vary the amount of current, the secondary circuit will not be opened, and when portions only of the reactance coils are used these por- Therefore to produce a given tions that the switch is passing from one current will flow in them, unless means are l used to prevent this occurring. A means i commonly used is the so-called preventive resistance which is a. resistance so arranged that upon the movement of a switch the portion of a coil having a voltage induced therein is short circuited through this re sistance and the current flowing therein is thereby limited in value.

By the special form of switch and connections which I employ, I am enabled to limit this short circuited current without using a preventive resistance, and I accomplish this result by so arranging the connecposition to another will notshort circuit upon themselves portions of the reactance coils but will connect portions of these coils with their voltages opposed in series, so that the current flowing in them will be substantially ml.

For a further understanding of my invention, reference may be had to the accompanying drawings where Figure 1 shows in perspective an external view of my regulator; Figs. 2 and 3 show on a larger scale portions of the switch mechanism; Fig. 4 shows, diagrammatically, the windings and arrangement of connections; and Figs. 5, 5, 6, 6 and 7 show connections for various positions of the switch.

Referring first to Fig, 1, 1 is a base on which the various portions of the apparatus may be mounted; 2 is a casing which surrounds the core and windings of the transformer; 3 is an insulated portion of the switch mechanism attached to the casing; 4 is a movable switch blade which is arranged to be in operative relation with stationary contacts 5 attached to 3; and 6 are terminals of the transformer windings.

Rpfierring to Fig. 2, the movable portion of the switch consists of a blade 7 which may be pi voted at one end in theusual manner so that the blade will move in a vertical plane. At the top of the blade are insulating members 8 and surrounding the edges of members 8 are conducting members 9 so arranged that there will be a considerable portion of insulation between these conducting members. 10 is the usual handle for the o eration of the blade.

R'e crring now to Fig. 3, this figure shows the stationary contacts whichare made of substantially C shaped members, the ends of these members making contact with memhers 9 on the movable blade, the centers of these members having lugs 12, by which they are attached to the insulating member 3 on the top of the casing and connected to the transformer windings.

Referring now to Fig. =1, the regulator is shown as consisting of a magnetic core 13 having two legs joined by suitable end pieces. This core may be made up in the usual manner of laminated punchings. Surrounding one leg of the core is shown the primary winding 14, 14, which is shown as made of two portions so arranged that they may be connected in series or in parallel in the usual manner for connection with supply circuits of different voltage. The ends of these windings are shown as connected to terminals (3. Surrounding the second leg of the core is shown the secondary winding which consists of two portions 15 and 15', the outside ends being connected to terminals 16, to which may be connected suitable translating devices, which are not shown.

In addition to the primary and secondary windings are the reactance coils, which I shall call for convenience auxiliary windings, the one, 17, being wound on the leg of the core surrounded by the primary winding 14. and the other, 1 being wound on the other leg of the core. These auxiliary windings which are used for the purpose of obtaining reactance are wound to have induced voltages of substantially equal value at some degree of load, and are provided with intermediate ta'ps 17' and 18' so that the amount of the coils in series with the secondary winding and thus the amount of reactance in series with this winding may be varied. The terminals and intermediate taps of these auxiliary windings are connected to the stationary clips 5 of the switch mechanism and the inside ends of the secondary winding 15 and 15 are also connected to these clips.

While I have shown the windings as arranged separately upon the legs of the core, it is not necessar' that they should be wound in this fashion and they areshown as so wound merely for the purpose of clearness of illustration. Actually, in one practical construction, the primary winding is wound on one leg of a rectangular core, and the secondary winding is wound on the other leg, the auxiliary winding 17 being located under the primary and the auxiliary 18 under the secondary winding or the windings may be arranged in any of the 115 usual manners which will suggest themselves to those skilled in the art.

For an understanding of the operation of the regulator, reference may be had to the remaining figures which show the connec- 120 tions of the secondary circuit for various positions of the switch mechanism. ferring first to Fig. 5, this figure shows th connection for the maximum current of the secondary, the connection which exists when 125 the movable blade of the switch is in the position shown in full lines in Fig. 4. With this connection it will be seen that the two secondary coils are in series and the auxiliary reactance coils are not in the circuit. 139

If, now, it be desired to decrease the amount of current the switch may be moved. to the right, as shown in Fig. 4, until it first comes in contact with the middle pair. of clips. This will be an intermediate position and the connections existing with this position are shown in Fig. 5*. The movable blade of the switch has not been illustrated in this i'itermediatc position but it has been illustrcted as shown by the dotted lines in Fig. l for the second intermediate position where the contact members on the switch blade make contact between both the middle pair of clips and the pair of clips on the extreme right.

It w ill be seen that in the intermediate position of the switch-blade, contact is made between a succeeding pair of clips before contactis broken between the clips which the switch blade is leaving. This prevents the switch from opening the circuit in passing from one position to another, and by the peculiar circuitconnect-ions employed avoids ny difliculty in changing from one position to another. The manner in which this is done will be best understood by referring to Fig. 5*. l-Vhe'n the blade is in this intermediate position it. will be seen that the two portions of the secondary winding are in seand connected thereto at points 19 and 2-0 are portions of the auxiliary windings 17 and It will be furtherscen that the portions of the auxiliary windings connected to the secondary circuits are short circuited upon themselves. These windings are, however, so arranged and connected that the induced voltages of the two windings will be in the direction, for example, as that shown by the dotted arrows; that is, these voltages will be in opposition, and thus a very small, if any, current will fiow. The instantaneous flow of current in the secondary circuit may be shown or arrows which are not dotted.

W hen the movable blade is moped from the intermediate position to the set-30nd posi-- tion, it breaks the connection between points 19 and 2C and the connections will be those shown in Fig. 6. This connection gives a medium value for the secondary current and it will be seen that the two portions of the secondary winding are connected in series and in series with a portion of each of thenuxiliary windings, these portions being also connected in series. The direction' of the. instantaneous flow of current at any time may be shown by the arrows in full line and the direction of the instantaneous induced voltage-sin the reactance coils may be shown by the dotted arrows. It will thus be seen that the auxiliary windings are wound and connected so that their induced voltages are in eppesition or buck each other, and itwill also-be seen that the current ismade toxfiewiinthe coil 17 in a direction opposite to whichits induced voltage would tend to make it, flow but the current flows in the coil 18 in the same direction as that in which its induced voltage would tend .to make it flow.

Referring now to Figs. 6" and 7, thesefigures show the connections for the second intermediate position and the final position of the movable switch blade, the final posi tion giving the lowest magnitude of current, the entire coils l7 and 18 being connected in series with the secondary windings, as will be seen from Fig. 7. In the intermediate position, as shown in Fig. 6", the instantane cus direction of the current may be assumed to be that of the full line arrows and the instantaneous induced voltages in the reactance coils may be assumed to be in the direction shown by the dotted arrows. It will be seen that the two portions of the reactance coils which are shortcircuited will have their voltages in opposition and thus anexcessive flow of current will be prevented as described for the first intermediate position.

llhile I have shown and described a pre ferred embodiment. of my invention, I do not limit myself to this embodiment, but seek in the appended claims to cover all embodiments which will be obvious to those skilled in the art and will not depart from the spirit of my invention.

What I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States, is, 1. In an electrical apparatus, a winding and a reactance in series therewith comprising a plurality of coils adapted to have voltages induced therein, the coils being so connected to the winding that their induced voltages are in opposition.

2. In an electrical apparatus, a winding and a react'ance in series therewith comprising two coils adapted to have voltages induced therein, the coils being so connected to the winding that their voltages oppose each other;

3. In an electricalappara-tus, a winding and a reactance in series therewith comprising two coils adapted to have substantially equal voltages induced therein, the coils be; ing so connected that their voltages are in opposition.

4. The combination in an electrical apparatus of a magnetic core,-an inducing winding surrounding the core, a second winding in inductive relation to the first winding, and a plurality of coils in inductive relation to the first winding connected to the second winding so that the voltages of the are in opposition, the various inductive relations of the coils to the first winding diflering relatively.

reins of a magnetic core, an inducing windsurrounding the core, a. second winding also surrounding the core ininductiverelation to the first winding, and a reactancei 5. The combination in an electrical apps;

prising two coils in inductive relation to the first winding connected in series so that their induced voltages are in opposition and connected in series to one of the windings, and

ifi ineans for varying the amount of the coils connected in series to the winding.

7. The combination inzan electrical apparatus of a magnetic core, an inducing winding surrounding the core, a second winding also surrounding the core in inductive relation to the winding, a reactance comprising two coils having intermediate taps, and a switch ada ted to connect the coils in series with their induced voltages in opposition in series with the second winding, and to alter the amount of the coils in series with the second winding. v p

8. The combination in an electrical apparatus of a two legged magnetic core, a 'primary winding surrounding one leg of the core, a secondary winding wound in two sections surrounding the other leg of the core, reactance coils having intermediate taps surrounding each leg of the core, and a switch adapted to connect the secondary windings in series and in series. with the reactance coils so that the induced voltages of the coils are in opposition, and to vary the taps throu h which the coils are connected.

9. 11 an electrical apparatus, a reactance comprising two coils: having, voltages inducedtherein and intermediate taps, and a switch adapted to connect the whole or portions oi thocoils in-series withftheir. voltages in opposition by varying the taps'to which it is connected without opening the circuit in passing from one tapv to another, the connections between the taps and the switch being so made that the switch in passing from one tap to another connects the portions of the coils between successive taps in parallel with their voltages in opposition.

10. In an electrical apparatus, a winding, :1 reactance comprising. two coils adapted to have volt-ages induced therein and intermediate taps, and a switch adapted to connect the coils in series with their voltages in opposition and in series with the winding and to vary the taps through which the coils are connected without opening the circuit, the connections between the taps and the switch being so made that the switch in passing from one tap to another connects the portions of the coils between successive taps in parallel with their voltages-in opposition.

11. The combination in an electrical apparatus of a two legged magnetic core, a primary winding surrounding one leg of the core, a secondary winding wound in two sections surrounding the other leg of the core, reactance coils having intermediate taps surrounding each leg of the core, a switch comprising a movable blade having contact members at each edge and an, insulating meinber between, and a plurality of pairs of stationary clips in operative relation to the blade, connections between the stationary clips the secondary windings and the reactancc coils so made that the switch inits movement connects the secondary windings in series and in series with a whole. or part of the reactance coils connected so that their voltages are in opposition.

12. A transformer having a plurality of coils wound on the main core in different inductive nelations to the primary winding and connected to the secondary winding of the transformer in such a manner that the voltages generated in the coils are in opposition.

13. A transformer having two coils'wound on the main core in different inductive relations todthe primary winding and connected to the secondary winding of the transformer in such a manner that the voltages generated in the coils are in opposition. Y

14. A transformer having two coils wound on the main core in difi'erent inductive relations to the rimarywinding andconnected to the secon ar'y winding of the transformer in such a manner that the voltages generated in the coils are substantially equal a'nd are in opposition.

In witness whereof, I have hereunto set my hand this third day of September, 1909.

SVENDJE. JOHANNESEN. .Witnesses:

Conmss E. LEE, WILLIS A. ISHLER.

0071a 01 this patent-may be obtained for five cents each. by addressing the Commissioner of Patents.

Wilmington. D. C." 

